Antique French Ormolu and Porcelain Clock circa 1860 at 1stdibs Height 42 x Width 24 x Depth 14 Dimensions in inches: Height 16.5 x Width 9.4 x Depth 5.5 Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury.

Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil). R.C - According to Charles Allix (in his Carriage Clock book), Richard & Cie was founded in Paris in 1848 under a different name and added a branch in London in 1857. Then in 1867 the branch became Richard & Co. of 24 Cannon Street, London. In France, this would be Richard et Cie. Loomes says that the London business lasted until 1881. Allix also says that the inscription "R & C" without the full trademark probably denotes a clock handled by Richard but not made by them. The Richard trademark contains an R and C with a snake's head in between, all enclosed within an oval. Thus my best GUESS is that this clock was sold sometime after 1867 by Richard as a retailer in London.

Sevres Porcelain traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738. French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumoured relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres. Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles. From the outset the king's clear aim was to produce Sevres Porcelain that surpassed the established Saxony works of Meissen and Dresden. Though the French lacked an ample supply of kaolin, a required ingredient for hard-paste porcelain (pate dure), their soft-paste porcelain (pate tendre) was fired at a lower temperature and was thus compatible with a wider variety of colours and glazes that in many cases were also richer and more vivid.

Unglazed white Sevres Porcelain "biscuit" figurines were also a great success. However, soft-paste Sevres Porcelain was more easily broken. Therefore, early pieces of Sevres Porcelain that remain intact have become rare indeed. The Sevres Porcelain manufactory always seemed to be in dire financial straits despite the incredibly fine works it produced. In fact, the king's insistence that only the finest items be created may have contributed to the difficulties. Only a limited number of European nobility could afford the extravagant prices demanded for such works. King Louis XV and eventually his heir, the ill-fated Louis XVI, were obliged to invest heavily in the enterprise. Ultimately, the Sevres Porcelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres mark was born. King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles.

He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest. Sevres Porcelain may have indeed given the makers of Meissen and Dresden a run for their money by the end of the 18th Century but for the French Revolution. By 1800, the Sevres Porcelain Works were practically out of business due to the economic devastation of the new French Republic. About the time when Napoleon Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France (1804), a new director was named for the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory. Alexandre Brongniart, highly educated in many fields, resurrected Sevres Porcelain. Soft-paste porcelain was eliminated altogether thanks to the earlier discovery of kaolin near Limoges. For four decades until his death, Brongniart presided over monumental progress for Sevres Porcelain, catering not only to Napoleon himself, but at last to include the more financially profitable mid-priced market in the emerging middle class. Trade Association for Professional Art and Antiques Dealers Rarity4u - Ormolu Ormolu Ormolu is the finish used on metal to imitate gold and is employed chiefly for furniture mountings.

Ormolu mountings were characteristic of 1700´s furniture and attained their highest artistic and technical development in France, especially in the work of Charles Cressent, Pierre Gouthière and Jacques Caffieri. Ormolu, literally from the French or moulu, signifying grounded, moulded or pounded gold, is a British 1700´s term for applying finely ground high-karat gold to an object in bronze. The piece having been made in bronze was carefully and finely finished by chiselling and polishing and then coated with a mixture of mercury and gold. This amalgam was subjected to heat and the mercury evaporated leaving the gold deposited on the surface. Finally, the gold was burnished where required, or left matt. The French refer to this technique as bronze doré, which is used to this day though the item may be merely painted with gold tone paint. The modern term in English is gilt bronze, which bears no relation to ormolu in process or materials. A later substitute of a mixture of metals resembling ormolu was developed in France and called pomponne, though confusingly, the mix of copper and zinc, sometimes with an addition of tin, is technically an alloy of brass.

Actual ormolu pieces by strict definition are rare, as they were no longer produced after the early 1800s because of their impractical cost and health risks. Almost all items referred to today as ormolu are actually gilt bronze. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury gilding or fire gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. Most mercury gilders died by the age of 40 due to exposure to the harmful mercury fumes. This gilding technique is similar to that also used on silver, which produced silver-gilt objects known as vermeil. The principal use of ormolu was for the decorative mountings of furniture, clocks, lighting devices, and porcelain.

The great French furniture designers and cabinetmakers, or ébénistes, of the 1700´s and 1800´s made maximum use of the exquisite gilt-bronze mounts produced by fondeurs-ciseleurs, or "founders and finishers", such as the renowned Jacques Caffieri, whose finished gilt-bronze pieces were almost as fine as jeweller's work. Similarly fine results could be achieved for lighting devices, such as chandeliers and candelabra, as well as for the ornamental metal mounts applied to clock cases and even ceramic pieces. In the hands of the Parisian marchands-merciers, the precursors of decorators, ormolu or gilt-bronze sculptures could be used for bright, non-oxidizing fireplace accessories or for Rococo or Neoclassical mantel or wall-mounted clock cases (a specialty of Charles Cressent), complemented by rock-crystal drops on gilt-bronze chandeliers and wall-lights. The bronze mounts were cast by the lost wax method, and then chiselled and chased to add detail. Rococo gilt-bronze tends to be finely cast, lightly chiselled, and part burnished.

Neoclassical gilt-bronze is often entirely chiselled and chased with extraordinary skill and delicacy to create finely varied surfaces. The French developed the art of designing and making furniture mounts from ormolu, and were equally proficient at making clock cases, candlesticks, inkstands and other suitable pieces from the same material. Much thought was given to the mounting of porcelain in ormolu, and vases and figures with bases and other enhancements were valued highly for decoration. They fetch high prices today, but only if the mounts are genuinely 1700´s. From 1745 to 1749 a tax was levied on ormolu, and pieces were stamped in a similar manner to silver. The marks is a letter ‘c’ beneath a crown, but as it was in use apparently for no more than four years specimens bearing it are rare. Chinese and European porcelains mounted in gilt-bronze were luxury wares that heightened the impact of often-costly and ornamental ceramic pieces sometimes used for display.

Chinese ceramics with gilt-bronze mounts were produced under the guidance of the Parisian marchands-merciers, for only they had access to the ceramics (often purchased in the Netherlands) and the ability to overleap the guild restrictions. A few surviving pieces of 1500´s Chinese porcelains respectfully mounted in contemporary European silver-gilt, or vermeil, show where the foundations of the later fashion lay. German ormolu is not dissimilar to French, although seldom as highly finished. From the late 1760s, Matthew Boulton and James Watt of Birmingham produced English ormolu vases and perfume-burners in the latest Neoclassical style. Though the venture was never a financial success, it produced the finest British ormolu. Old ormolu is sometimes found with the gilding in good condition, but frequently it is worn away on the surfaces exposed to wear. In the past careless handling than has ruined more pieces than by wear and tear. However its greatest enemy is metal-polish, which should never be used. As with Sheffield plate, ormolu can be re-plated electrically but the appearance of the old cannot be reproduced exactly.

Antique French Sevres Porcelain Ormolu Clock c.1870 Antique French Sevres Porcelain Ormolu Clock c.1870 Click on image to zoom × Antique Sheraton Period 7 x Satinwood Painted Suite c.1780 Your name: * For weekly notifications of new arrivals in your categories of interest please click HERE . Our London showrooms Open Mon to Fri 10am - 5pm Open Sat 21st Jan 10-4 This is a lovely antique French ormolu, gilt bronze, mantel clock with a profusion of Roue Blue porcelain panels in the Sevres manner, circa 1870 in date. The movement carries the Paris retailers and the clock maker mark HP & Co and what we assume to be their serial number 1582 and the notation 63 inside an oval. The clock has beautiful, hand painted porcelain plaques inset in the sides and decorated with floral motifs. The plaque in the centre depicts a lady dressed in a period costume and a cherub, both set against classical architecture.

The top of the clock is decorated with an ormolu statue of Cupid Riding Dolphin which is a based on a famous painting by Peter Paul Ruben with the same title. The clock has an 8 day striking movement and is complete with pendulum, bell and key. This incredible clock is a must have for any collector of ornamental and decorative pieces. Condition: The clock is in excellent working condition the movement having been cleaned and serviced, the ormolu case having been polished, in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Height 31 x Width 19 x Depth 19 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 foot, 0 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 7 inches Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze .The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.

The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding , in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper , brass , or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver , to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil ). Sevres Porcelain traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738.

French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumoured relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres. Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles. From the outset the king's clear aim was to produce Sevres Porcelain that surpassed the established Saxony works of Meissen and Dresden. Though the French lacked an ample supply of kaolin, a required ingredient for hard-paste porcelain (pate dure), their soft-paste porcelain (pate tendre) was fired at a lower temperature and was thus compatible with a wider variety of colours and glazes that in many cases were also richer and more vivid. Unglazed white Sevres Porcelain "biscuit" figurines were also a great success. However, soft-paste Sevres Porcelain was more easily broken. Therefore, early pieces of Sevres Porcelain that remain intact have become rare indeed. The Sevres Porcelain manufactory always seemed to be in dire financial straits despite the incredibly fine works it produced.

In fact, the king's insistence that only the finest items be created may have contributed to the difficulties. Only a limited number of European nobility could afford the extravagant prices demanded for such works. King Louis XV and eventually his heir, the ill-fated Louis XVI, were obliged to invest heavily in the enterprise. Ultimately, the Sevres Porcelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres mark was born. King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles. He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest. Sevres Porcelain may have indeed given the makers of Meissen and Dresden a run for their money by the end of the 18th Century but for the French Revolution. By 1800, the Sevres Porcelain Works were practically out of business due to the economic devastation of the new French Republic.

About the time when Napoleon Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France (1804), a new director was named for the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory. Alexandre Brongniart, highly educated in many fields, resurrected Sevres Porcelain. Soft-paste porcelain was eliminated altogether thanks to the earlier discovery of kaolin near Limoges. For four decades until his death, Brongniart presided over monumental progress for Sevres Porcelain, catering not only to Napoleon himself, but at last to include the more financially profitable mid-priced market in the emerging middle class. Angelica Kauffman, RA (1741 - 1807) was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Though born as "Kauffmann", Kauffman is the preferred spelling of her name in English; it is the form she herself used most in signing her correspondence, documents and paintings. While Kauffman produced many types of art, she identified herself primarily as a history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century. History painting, was considered the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during this time period.

Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes. Despite the popularity that Kauffman enjoyed in British society and her success as an artist, she was disappointed by the relative apathy that the British had towards history painting. Ultimately she left Britain for the continent, where history painting was better established, held in higher esteem and patronized. The works of Angelica Kauffman have retained their reputation. By 1911, rooms decorated with her work were still to be seen in various quarters. At Hampton Court was a portrait of the duchess of Brunswick; in the National Portrait Gallery, a self-portrait. There were other pictures by her at Paris, at Dresden, in the Hermitage at St Petersburg, in the Alte Pinakothek atMunich, in Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn (Estonia). Satinwood is a hard and durable wood with a satinlike sheen, much used in cabinetmaking, especially in marquetry. It comes from two tropical trees of the family Rutaceae (rue family).

East Indian or Ceylon satinwood is the yellowish or dark-brown heartwood of Chloroxylon swietenia. The lustrous, fine-grained, usually figured wood is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneers, and backs of brushes. West Indian satinwood, sometimes called yellow wood, is considered superior. It is the golden yellow, lustrous, even-grained wood found in the Florida Keys and the West Indies. It has long been valued for furniture. It is also used for musical instruments, veneers, and other purposes. Satinwood is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae. Our reference: 06146 Please feel free to email or call us (+44 20 8809 9605) to arrange a viewing in our North London warehouse. Shipping: We ship worldwide and deliver to Mainland UK addresses free of charge. A shipping cost to all other destinations must be requested prior to purchase. To request a shipping quote for the items in your cart, please click HERE .

Delivery and return policy: We require that someone be home on the agreed delivery day if applicable, otherwise a redelivery fee will apply. In accordance with Distance Selling Regulations, we offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the item. The item must be returned in its original packaging and condition. Unless the item is not as described in a material way, the buyer is responsible for return shipping expenses. Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the European Union. Ormolu – furniture | Internet Antique Gazette Internet Antique Gazette Reference information on antiques & fine art topics.

Recent Auction Values (click on the images below): French ormolu and marble writing table, circa 1900 p4A ItemID F7980761 Ormolu Ormolu, an 18th-century English term, is from the French phrase or moulu, with “or” indicating gold and “moulu” being a form of an old French verb moudre, which means “to grind up.” (This French term for this technique is bronze dore.) This idea of “ground-up gold”refers to the production process of ormolu, where high-quality gold is finely powdered and added to a mercury mixture and applied to a bronze object. In reality, true ormolu pieces produced by this process are very rare. Production of ormolu declined dramatically after the first quarter of the 19th century, partly because of the great expense of the gold, but also because of the terrible health risks involved.

“Mercury gilding,” the process of manufacturing ormolu, requires the application of a solution of mercury nitrate to the object (which is normally of copper, brass or bronze), and then the application of the gold/mercury amalgam, that was usually 6 to 8 parts of mercury to one part gold. In order for the gold to adhere to the surface, the coated object is placed in a kiln and exposed to extreme temperatures, which burns away the mercury. (This is similar to the technique used to produce vermeil, a form of silver-gilt.) As a result of the intense and prolonged exposure to mercury, it has been estimated that most mercury gilders died before the age of 40. A Louis XV tulipwood commode with true ormolu mounts. (p4A item # D9819867 ) As fashion (and economics) dictated, gilding shifted in and out of popularity. Various methods to achieve the appearance of gilt were experimented with, including a process known as pomponne, which involves a mixture of copper and zinc (occasionally with the addition of tin), but the result here is technically a brass gilding rather than gold.

Mechanical or chemical gilding techniques were largely replaced by electroplating by the mid-19th century. For more information on the various gilding methods, see Wikipedia’s article on gilding at . Evaluating Age and Authenticity of Ormolu Evaluating the age and authenticity of ormolu mounts is one of the most difficult aspects of furniture appraisals because metal does not age in the same way as wood and because the mount’s patina has often been “enhanced” or damaged by inappropriate cleaning. Close inspection of the mounts can reveal much of their history however. The design of eighteenth century mounts often suggests a certain exuberance and spontaneity; later nineteenth century artisans produced works more perfect in detail but with a more studied air about them. An experienced eye can also detect differences in eras or even between countries from the mount’s coloring, provided the original surface has not been disturbed. One should also take note of the size of each individual mount or sub-component. Bronze mounts of the eighteenth century, particularly furniture mountings, were cast in relatively smaller sections (usually no longer than 10 inches) and then pieced together to obtain the desired overall effect.

Mounts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries tend to be much longer. Removing a mount from the piece in question (carefully!) can give one the most unambiguous information about its age and authenticity. First consider the casting…the more irregularities present on the underside, the earlier it is likely to be. Nineteenth and twentieth century castings most often have a “cleaner” and “smoother” appearance. More clues are revealed by the mount’s gilding. Early mounts treated with the mercury gilding technique discussed above were gilded on one side only, later mounts gilded with the electrolysis method are gilded on both sides. As with all elements of an antique item of furniture, the condition of the ormolu mounts can effect the value of the piece itself. Entirely original mounts with original surfaces will increase the piece’s value. Replacement of all or a significant proportion of the mounts may significantly reduce its value, as will inappropriate cleaning of the mounts. The loss or replacement of one or two minor elements, however, may not have much effect at all on the piece’s value, particularly if the original surface remains.

Cleaning ormolu mounts is best left to experts; at the most, use no more than mild soap and water with a very soft brush. p4A.com acknowledges the International Auctioneers Magazine, Autumn 2003, as the source for much of the information in this reference note. Antique French Sevres Porcelain Ormolu Clock, circa 1870 For Sale at 1stdibs Height 31 x Width 19 x Depth 19 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 foot, 0 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 7 inches Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury.

The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil). Sevres Porcelain traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738. French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumoured relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres.

Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles. From the outset the king's clear aim was to produce Sevres Porcelain that surpassed the established Saxony works of Meissen and Dresden. Though the French lacked an ample supply of kaolin, a required ingredient for hard-paste porcelain (pate dure), their soft-paste porcelain (pate tendre) was fired at a lower temperature and was thus compatible with a wider variety of colours and glazes that in many cases were also richer and more vivid. Unglazed white Sevres Porcelain "biscuit" figurines were also a great success. However, soft-paste Sevres Porcelain was more easily broken. Therefore, early pieces of Sevres Porcelain that remain intact have become rare indeed. The Sevres Porcelain manufactory always seemed to be in dire financial straits despite the incredibly fine works it produced. In fact, the king's insistence that only the finest items be created may have contributed to the difficulties. Only a limited number of European nobility could afford the extravagant prices demanded for such works.

King Louis XV and eventually his heir, the ill-fated Louis XVI, were obliged to invest heavily in the enterprise. Ultimately, the Sevres Porcelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres mark was born. King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles. He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest. Sevres Porcelain may have indeed given the makers of Meissen and Dresden a run for their money by the end of the 18th Century but for the French Revolution. By 1800, the Sevres Porcelain Works were practically out of business due to the economic devastation of the new French Republic. About the time when Napoleon Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France (1804), a new director was named for the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory.

Alexandre Brongniart, highly educated in many fields, resurrected Sevres Porcelain. Soft-paste porcelain was eliminated altogether thanks to the earlier discovery of kaolin near Limoges. For four decades until his death, Brongniart presided over monumental progress for Sevres Porcelain, catering not only to Napoleon himself, but at last to include the more financially profitable mid-priced market in the emerging middle class. Our reference: 06146 Antique French Ormolu Porcelain Mantel Clock c.1860 Antique French Ormolu Porcelain Mantel Clock c.1860 Click on image to zoom × Antique Sheraton Period 7 x Satinwood Painted Suite c.1780 Your name: * For weekly notifications of new arrivals in your categories of interest please click HERE . Our London showrooms Open Mon to Fri 10am - 5pm Open Sat 21st Jan 10-4 This is a beautiful antique French ormolu mantel clock with a profusion of Royal Blue porcelain inset panels in the Sevres manner, circa 1880 in date.

The movement is stamped with Serial Number: 2337 The porcelain inset panels on the side and borders of the case are decorated with gilded swags and swirls and are flanked by artichoke gilded finials. The central inset panel is hand painted with a lady dressed in period costume and a cherub enjoying the outdoors. The enamel dial has Roman numerals and is further decorated with a pair of hand painted doves. The clock has an eight day movement striking the hours and half hours on a silvered bell The clock stands on an elaborately deeply chased acanthus moulded skirt base with gilded mounted toupe feet. The clock is complete with pendulum, bell and key. This incredible clock is a must have for any collector of ornamental and decorative pieces. Condition: This clock is in excellent working condition, the movement having been cleaned and serviced, the ormolu case having been polished, in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Height 37 x Width 21 x Depth 14 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 foot, 3 inches x Width 8 inches x Depth 5 inches Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze .The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding , in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper , brass , or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique.

Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver , to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil ). Sevres Porcelain traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738. French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumoured relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres. Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles. From the outset the king's clear aim was to produce Sevres Porcelain that surpassed the established Saxony works of Meissen and Dresden.

Though the French lacked an ample supply of kaolin, a required ingredient for hard-paste porcelain (pate dure), their soft-paste porcelain (pate tendre) was fired at a lower temperature and was thus compatible with a wider variety of colours and glazes that in many cases were also richer and more vivid. Unglazed white Sevres Porcelain "biscuit" figurines were also a great success. However, soft-paste Sevres Porcelain was more easily broken. Therefore, early pieces of Sevres Porcelain that remain intact have become rare indeed. The Sevres Porcelain manufactory always seemed to be in dire financial straits despite the incredibly fine works it produced. In fact, the king's insistence that only the finest items be created may have contributed to the difficulties. Only a limited number of European nobility could afford the extravagant prices demanded for such works. King Louis XV and eventually his heir, the ill-fated Louis XVI, were obliged to invest heavily in the enterprise. Ultimately, the Sevres Porcelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres mark was born.

King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles. He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest. Sevres Porcelain may have indeed given the makers of Meissen and Dresden a run for their money by the end of the 18th Century but for the French Revolution. By 1800, the Sevres Porcelain Works were practically out of business due to the economic devastation of the new French Republic. About the time when Napoleon Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France (1804), a new director was named for the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory. Alexandre Brongniart, highly educated in many fields, resurrected Sevres Porcelain. Soft-paste porcelain was eliminated altogether thanks to the earlier discovery of kaolin near Limoges.

For four decades until his death, Brongniart presided over monumental progress for Sevres Porcelain, catering not only to Napoleon himself, but at last to include the more financially profitable mid-priced market in the emerging middle class. Angelica Kauffman, RA (1741 - 1807) was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Though born as "Kauffmann", Kauffman is the preferred spelling of her name in English; it is the form she herself used most in signing her correspondence, documents and paintings. While Kauffman produced many types of art, she identified herself primarily as a history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century. History painting, was considered the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during this time period. Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes. Despite the popularity that Kauffman enjoyed in British society and her success as an artist, she was disappointed by the relative apathy that the British had towards history painting.

Ultimately she left Britain for the continent, where history painting was better established, held in higher esteem and patronized. The works of Angelica Kauffman have retained their reputation. By 1911, rooms decorated with her work were still to be seen in various quarters. At Hampton Court was a portrait of the duchess of Brunswick; in the National Portrait Gallery, a self-portrait. There were other pictures by her at Paris, at Dresden, in the Hermitage at St Petersburg, in the Alte Pinakothek atMunich, in Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn (Estonia). Satinwood is a hard and durable wood with a satinlike sheen, much used in cabinetmaking, especially in marquetry. It comes from two tropical trees of the family Rutaceae (rue family). East Indian or Ceylon satinwood is the yellowish or dark-brown heartwood of Chloroxylon swietenia. The lustrous, fine-grained, usually figured wood is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneers, and backs of brushes. West Indian satinwood, sometimes called yellow wood, is considered superior.

It is the golden yellow, lustrous, even-grained wood found in the Florida Keys and the West Indies. It has long been valued for furniture. It is also used for musical instruments, veneers, and other purposes. Satinwood is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae. Our reference: 06148 Please feel free to email or call us (+44 20 8809 9605) to arrange a viewing in our North London warehouse. Shipping: We ship worldwide and deliver to Mainland UK addresses free of charge. A shipping cost to all other destinations must be requested prior to purchase. To request a shipping quote for the items in your cart, please click HERE . Delivery and return policy: We require that someone be home on the agreed delivery day if applicable, otherwise a redelivery fee will apply. In accordance with Distance Selling Regulations, we offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the item. The item must be returned in its original packaging and condition. Unless the item is not as described in a material way, the buyer is responsible for return shipping expenses.

Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the European Union. Ormolu – non-furniture | Internet Antique Gazette Internet Antique Gazette Reference information on antiques & fine art topics. Recent Auction Values (click on the images below): A Louis Philippe ormolu figural mantel clock with Malbec a Paris signed dial p4A ItemID F7987212 A French Empire ormolu patinated bronze mantel clock with a seated female archer in feathered headdress and feathered skirt p4A ItemID F7983124 Ormolu Ormolu, an 18th-century English term, is from the French phrase or moulu, with “or” indicating gold and “moulu” being a form of an old French verb moudre, which means “to grind up.” (This French term for this technique is bronze dore.) This idea of “ground-up gold”refers to the production process of ormolu, where high-quality gold is finely powdered and added to a mercury mixture and applied to a bronze object. Modern usage often uses “ormolu” to describe any gilded object.

In reality, true ormolu pieces produced by this process are very rare. Production of ormolu declined dramatically after the first quarter of the 19th century, partly because of the great expense of the gold, but also because of the terrible health risks involved. “Mercury gilding,” the process of manufacturing ormolu, requires the application of a solution of mercury nitrate to the object (which is normally of copper, brass or bronze), and then the application of the gold/mercury amalgam, that was usually 6 to 8 parts of mercury to one part gold. In order for the gold to adhere to the surface, the coated object is placed in a kiln and exposed to extreme temperatures, which burns away the mercury. (This is similar to the technique used to produce vermeil , a form of silver-gilt.) As a result of the intense and prolonged exposure to mercury, it has been estimated that most mercury gilders died before the age of 40, and the process was banned in many countries in the mid-1800s. True ormolu chenets (French andirons) from the Empire period attributed to Claude Galle.

(p4A item # D9819758 ) As fashion (and economics) dictated, gilding shifted in and out of popularity. Various methods to achieve the appearance of gilt were experimented with, including a process known as pomponne, which involves a mixture of copper and zinc (occasionally with the addition of tin), but the result here is technically a brass gilding rather than gold. Mechanical or chemical gilding techniques were largely replaced by electroplating by the mid-19th century. Evaluating Age and Authenticity of Ormolu Evaluating the age and authenticity of ormolu mounts is one of the most difficult aspects of furniture appraisals because metal does not age in the same way as wood and because the mount’s patina has often been “enhanced” or damaged by inappropriate cleaning. Close inspection of the mounts can reveal much of their history however. The design of eighteenth century mounts often suggests a certain exuberance and spontaneity; later nineteenth century artisans produced works more perfect in detail but with a more studied air about them. An experienced eye can also detect differences in eras or even between countries from the mount’s coloring, provided the original surface has not been disturbed.

One should also take note of the size of each individual mount or sub-component. Bronze mounts of the eighteenth century, particularly furniture mountings, were cast in relatively smaller sections (usually no longer than 10 inches) and then pieced together to obtain the desired overall effect. Mounts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries tend to be much longer. Removing a mount from the piece in question (carefully!) can give one the most unambiguous information about its age and authenticity. First consider the casting…the more irregularities present on the underside, the earlier it is likely to be. Nineteenth and twentieth century castings most often have a “cleaner” and “smoother” appearance. More clues are revealed by the mount’s gilding. Early mounts treated with the mercury gilding technique discussed above were gilded on one side only, later mounts gilded with the electrolysis method are gilded on both sides. As with all elements of an antique item of furniture, the condition of the ormolu mounts can effect the value of the piece itself. Entirely original mounts with original surfaces will increase the piece’s value.

Replacement of all or a significant proportion of the mounts may significantly reduce its value, as will inappropriate cleaning of the mounts. The loss or replacement of one or two minor elements, however, may not have much effect at all on the piece’s value, particularly if the original surface remains. Cleaning ormolu mounts is best left to experts; at the most, use no more than mild soap and water with a very soft brush. p4A.com acknowledges the International Auctioneers Magazine, Autumn 2003, as the source for much of the information in this reference note. Ormolu | Article about ormolu by The Free Dictionary Ormolu | Article about ormolu by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Related to ormolu: gilt ormolu (ôr`məlo͞o), finish used on metal to imitate gold. It is employed chiefly for furniture mountings. The term originally applied to a coating of ground gold and was extended to alloys of copper and zinc. Ormolu mountings were characteristic of 18th-century furniture and attained their highest artistic and technical development in France, especially in the work of Charles Cressent, Pierre Gouthière, and Jacques Caffieri.

Ormolu was produced on a large scale in England, with Matthew Boulton the chief manufacturer. Workmanship deteriorated in the 19th cent. ormolu 1. Gold crushed with mercury to form a paste. 2. An article or ornamental appliqué of bronze, first coated with such paste, then heated to evaporate the mercury, leaving pure gold evenly and securely deposited. 3. Any metal or substitute finished to resemble mercury-gilded bronze. ormolu a. a gold-coloured alloy of copper, tin, or zinc used to decorate furniture, mouldings, etc. b. (as modifier): an ormolu clock 2. gold prepared to be used for gilding Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: ormolu varnish References in periodicals archive ?

ANCIENT and modern: a 20th century lidded urn with silvered cast oak LEAFANd acorn mounts (left) estimated at PS500-PS700 and a cassolet or urn and cover with ormolu mounts, circa 1800, Estimated to be worth PS1,200-PS1,800 Design: impresario of design Wedgwood became a crucial business partner and together he and Boulton made a fortune in the great "vase madness" of the 1760s, pioneering ormolu mounted ceramics while swapping notes on the new science of factory building. A story waiting to be told; ANTIQUES CHRISTOPHER PROUDLOVE You didn''t just get a writing table or a desk, but a desk with superlative marquetry work in different colours, fine ormolu decoration (ormolu is bronze overlaid with gold leaf) which took perhaps the shape of a sphinx or a classical head, or a small gallery placed on top of a secretaire, along with an infinity of special springs which released secret drawers.

A glimpse of beauty and unrivalled luxury; Richard Edmonds revels in a tome dedicated to some of the finest and most opulent furniture ever made PROFILE Briefly to include: Wedgwood black basalt figure of a crane; rectangular cantonese brush box; crimson velvet trunk 19th century; Andrew Stephenson tree seat; Dutch fruitwood & ebonised bucket; George III mahogany four-drawer chest c1770; set of Victorian fine furniture and pair Rococo-style Ormolu Chenet; George III mahogany & suede settee c1770; Mahogany tester bed c1830; Coromandel wood travelling dressing case with original invoice; Louis XVI-style walnut Duchesse Brise, 18th century mahogany chest; early 19th century Regency rosewood breakfront cabinet; late 18th century mahogany four-pedestal dining table, Charles II oak and fruitwood parquetry Long dresser; J Kind, London 1777 silver dish; set of 11 silver gilded Corn on the Cob spikes.

Question: Ormolu was orginally the gilding of which metal in its nitrate form to copper, brass or bronze?
Answer: Mercury